HVAC Energy Efficiency Basics - Webinar Series

This series of webinars will introduce the fundamental concepts and equipment for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), with a focus on commercial and institutional buildings.

We will teach the basics of heat transfer and human comfort, estimating heating and cooling loads, different types of thermal energy distribution systems and HVAC equipment, control systems, indoor air quality, and how these topics relate to energy efficiency and electrification.

Some of the sessions will build on each other, but you may choose to participate in any or all of them.

The slides and a recording of each session will be available to all who register. Registration is free and open to all.

Who should attend:

This introductory training will be helpful for utility and program administrator staff, energy auditors, sustainability professionals, and others who are involved with HVAC retrofits or building decarbonization.

CEUs:

Continuing education units (CEUs) will be available through UMass for those who participate in the live sessions. They are provided at no cost for Massachusetts utility customers, Massachusetts energy professionals, businesses affiliated with Mass Save, and employees of the Sponsors of Mass Save.

Session descriptions:

The ABCs of HVAC: Comfort & Efficiency – Tuesday 2/3 & Thursday 2/5, 10:00-11:30AM
Introduction to the core topics of heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation, evaporation) from the perspective of the human body, the building structure and the mechanical cooling and heating systems. We will discuss how heat moves and ways it can move more efficiently. The two-part module will introduce basic mechanical heating systems such as electric heat, direct & indirect fired fossil fuel heat, and heat pumps, as well as their efficiency ranges. Humidity as both a comfort and energy reduction strategy will be included.

Load Estimating & Energy Efficiency – Wednesday 2/11, 10:00-11:30AM
Correctly sizing systems to match the needs of the structure is key to energy efficiency and equipment longevity. We will introduce the fundamental concepts in calculating the heat gains and losses of the building in order to size the HVAC equipment needed.

Thermal Energy Distribution Systems – Wednesday 2/18, 10:00-11:30AM
Introduction to the three primary ways to move thermal energy (heating and cooling) throughout a building: duct systems, water piping (chillers & boilers), and refrigerant piping.

HVAC Equipment & Major Components – Wednesday 2/25, 10:00-11:30AM
A high-level overview of most types of HVAC equipment you will encounter in existing buildings, including air handlers, unit ventilators, fan coils, ductless, multi-zone, dual-duct, packaged RTUs, induction systems, VAV, VVT, VRF, and more.

HVAC Controls for Building Energy Management – Wednesday 3/4, 10:00-11:30AM
Introduction to the core building blocks of an automation system, including types of controllers, input/output points, and networking. We will also discuss some of the controls sequences to conserve energy such as demand controlled ventilation (DCV), VAV supply air temp reset, VAV static pressure reset, and more.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Fundamentals & IAQ-based Energy Reduction – Wednesday 3/11, 10:00-11:30AM
Introduction to the components of air quality (particulates, microbial, gases), technologies (ventilation, filters, bi-polar ionization, photo catalytic oxidation, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, DCV, etc) that can improve the air that occupants breath, and how these solutions relate to energy consumption of the HVAC system.

Instructor:

Ryan Hoger is the Director of Training at Temperature Equipment Corp. where he has worked since 1997, and a longtime trainer for MAEEP. He is a former president of the Illinois ASHRAE Chapter and has been active with gas/electric utility committees. He has extensive experience with energy codes, building automation systems (BAS), energy recovery ventilators (ERV), dual fuel heat pump systems, Aeroseal duct sealing, smart thermostats, variable refrigerant flow (VRF), economizers and packaged RTUs, demand controlled ventilation (DCV), and other energy conserving HVAC systems. Ryan has written HVAC articles for various publications and is the featured instructor on TecTube (https://www.youtube.com/tectubefilms). He has a Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering from the University of Illinois, runs several youth sports programs, and is married with four kids.